The present invention generally relates to an item range monitoring, separation alert generation, and recovery assistance. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel physical wallet separation alert system that dynamically tracks a physical separation between a physical wallet and a mobile communication device. The present invention also relates to a method of operating the novel physical wallet separation alert system.
Despite a continuing evolution of virtual wallets and virtual electronic wallet-based mobile payment systems, a vast majority of consumers still today prefer to carry a physical wallet or a purse for everyday transactions. Some consumers find fiddling with virtual wallets in checkout counters unnecessarily cumbersome, while others are weary of potential electronic transaction information piracy in public storefronts and other unknown security risks associated with virtual wallets. Furthermore, many consumers simply prefer to carry physical wallets, handbags, and/or purses because these traditional transactional canyon apparatuses allow consumers to store identification cards, business cards, paper receipts, and credit cards tangibly and physically in one place without necessitating annoying virtualization and electronic storage of such sensitive information in a mobile device, which may be subject to unexpected battery drains, system crashes, ransomware attacks, and/or other unforeseen electronic problems that may interfere with seamless daily commerce expected by many consumers.
The persisting consumer preferences of carrying physical wallets even in the era of rapidly-evolving mobile device transaction services have caused many people to carry physical wallets and smart phones at the same time. In numerous instances, consumers have suffered accidental loss or theft of physical wallets in stores, shopping malls, buses, and other public locations, especially because many consumers today are more attentive to accessing their smart phones in public than keeping track of their physical wallets. The modern trend of carrying multiple electronic devices (e.g. multiple smart phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, etc.) in public further distracts consumers and increases chances of accidental loss or theft of physical wallets.
Therefore, it may be desirable to devise a novel electronic system capable of detecting and alerting a potentially-dangerous separation beyond an allowed range between a physical wallet and a mobile communication device.
Furthermore, it may also be desirable to devise a novel electronic system that enables a user to define and modify a threshold distance value beyond an allowed range for triggering an alert for a physical wallet separation.
Moreover, it may also be desirable to devise a method of operating a novel electronic system configured to detect, alert, and define a potentially-dangerous separation between a physical wallet and a mobile communication device.